The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1887-09-04
THE INDIANA rRAKPER.
Three Years Now He Has Kept Up
His Tireless Walk.

himself q little farm OF forty acres
within four miles of this city, and out in
the rear of his dwelling we found him
at his endless, nevefending task-tramp.
tramp, tramp, on and on, never falter-
ing. tagging or firing Of his weariless
journey. The Thermometer registered
Ito degrees in the sun, yet about his
beaten track, amidst its glare, glitter
and burning rays, on he went as uncon-
oerned about its melting heat as if amid
the coolest shades of autumn. Not
particle of perspiration was apparent
he was as 1.-THE of form, as quick of step,
as congenial, pleasant and ready to con.
verse as nearly three years ago when we
first met him on his tireless tramp. We
sccosted him with Good morning, Un-
Gle John" He said Good morning" as
cheerily and pleasant as though on
quiet stroll.
"Well, Uncle John, you are still on
your endless walk?"
Eyes, sir" said he, land 1 am now
convinced it will be an endless tramp
with me, and will end only when l am
dead"
Can you stop moment to- converse
with an old friend?"
GAS much as would like to, dare
not. Icannot do So"
Cant you lie down to rest at night?"
mo, sir. I have been in bed only
once in now nearly three years. and
then only for an hour, and it made me
so tired and sore that l had to run for
FIVE hours to rest mVselfo
How do you sleep?"
81 sit down in that chair you see
there, sleep about two or three hours
never more than that-and sometimes
am walking about my path here when !
awake"
Have you ever tried to stop walk
ing2"
A thousand times-yes, 10000 times
have tried to stop, but the moment
make the effort my legs cramp and pain
me so Lam compelled to run about for
an hour to get them easy again.
How do you take your meals?"
"You see that large tray there" said
he, (pointing it out to me } with those
leather straps. fasten it in front Of
me. and eat as walk"
II am informed that you shave your
self and cut your hair as you travel
6DOuC. Is IQ6C True
Eyes, sir. 1 can shave, cut my hair
and battle myself with as much ease as
though at rest"
You don't mean to say you battle
yourself while walking?"
IL do. l dampen a fowl and, while
walking about my room, | remove my
clothing and bathe myself. l do so
three times a week, always in the mo m
ing before any one of my family is up"
Have you never been tired of walk
ing2"
~ have answered that question to at
least 10000 people. [ never was tired
for moment, only when trying to
rest"
Then walking rests you?"
Eyes, sir; if am weary l Just increase
my pace, and after running while
get rested and feel first rate"
'Do you like to converse with
friends?''
II do, only when they try to convince
me l am crank, crazy or a hypochon
driac. 1 am neither. l would be fool
to tramp about for nearly three years,
day and night, for at least twenty hours
out of every twenty-four. Crank, crazy
or fool, l would give out in that time,
sure"
We found the muscles as tense and
firm as whip-cord. His pulse numbered
1S. We took his temperature; it regis
tered SO, heart beat steady and with
good impulse; eyes clear, bright, and
pupils equal in size and responsive, in
tellect unimpaired, physique" good,
digestion perfect, appetite not in the
dex for a guide to solution of the
malady that effects him. We were
forced to give it up and wonder the
more at the marval before US.
Uncle John, tell US what you think
about, how you content yourself. In
the long, dreary nighttime, when every
one is asleep but yourself-no one to
watch or converse with-don't you get
sad and tired of livlng?"
"Well," said he, you have asked
three or four questions at once. 1 do
get lonesome sometimes; then l take a
fresh chew of tobacco, whistle or sing,
and try 20 think of pleasant scenes of
my youth. and often gaze at the heaY-
ems and try to find new stars and new
wonders that appear. Just now 1 am
looking for the Star of Bethlehem"
"Do you ever wish to die and be re-
lieved from your affliction?'
Cant say that do. am concerned
about the welfare of my family want to
see them contented, happy and well
provided for; then am satisfied to live
on until my journey is ended"
How long have you been walking
now1"
Nearly three years; it wi. Oc-
tober next"
After shaking hands and biddil Mr..
SnIder good-dsy we left him we
found him, still tramping about his
beaten path. When nearly out of sight
we looked again he was still at his task
alone, head erect, the same swinging
step, in circle from right to left. On
he went, as contented and serene as
though sitting in the shade conversing
with friends. We calculated that now
he has been walking over 1000 days,
twenty hours of every twenty-four.
At the rate of four miles an hour,
eighty miles day. he now has encom-
passed fully $4,000 miles-over three
times around the world-in less than
years, and yet his journey is not ended
In q conversation with the family
about Mr.. Snider we were informed by
them that he never murmured or COM
planned at his lot, was always pleasant
and cheerful, and often he would walk
for an h0ur OF O time unmarried nv